Oliver Stephan

Bio:

Born in Munich 1953, raised in Africa, educated in Nigeria (Senior Staff School and International School, Ibadan), Ethiopia (The English School, Addis Abeba) and England (Sevenoaks School and University of East Anglia, Norwich), now living near Munich, happily married and proud father. Co-founded first German ska band The Nighthawks in 1978, released an album and a bunch of singles on Ariola Hansa's Rocktopus label, supported The Clash and Bob Marley, folded in 1982. Then co-founded Afro-Cuban pop outfit Safari No Go! in 1983, one maxi single produced by Chas Jankel released by Phonogram on the Mercury label, folded shortly afterwards (not Chas's fault!). Next came space-dub combo Ground Sound Players, no releases, split, a couple of members went on to form Freaky Fukin' Weirdoz, I myself retired from the stage and co-wrote an Afro-Beat Musical for German Television. The Nighthawks reformed in 1989 for an album privately released on MC and a couple of gigs, then split again. I then joined blues and zydeco artist Ludwig Seuss for several albums and tours. When that group was dissolved in 1998, I co-founded The Stimulators, and the rest is history. Sort of.

I'm also active in the art and rare-books trade, and occasionally do translations for German publishers and TV.

Member Since:

March 21, 2009

Members:

The songs on this profile, performed by various artists, were written or co-written by Oliver Stephan, all the lyrics are by Oliver Stephan. For full credits see album sleeves.

Influences:

Roy Acuff, The Andrews Sisters, The Animals, Richard Ashcroft, Asleep at the Wheel, At the Drive-In, Chet Baker, The Band, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band, Harry Belafonte, B-52's, Blondie, Blumfeld, Blur, Booker T. and the MG's, Boo-Ya Tribe, Billy Bragg, BR5-49, James Brown, Johnny Burnette, Kate Bush, The Byrds, JJ Cale, Cab Calloway, Calexico, Carmen, Hoagy Carmichael, Wynona Carr, Christy Front Drive, Gene Clark, The Clash, Patsy Cline, Coati Mundi, John Coltrane, Ry Cooder, Spade Cooley, Cosmic Rough Riders, Elvis Costello, Cousteau, Cream, Miles Davis, Deftones, Lizzie Mercier Descloux, Bo Diddley, The Doors, Dropkick Murphys, Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, East of Eden, Fairport Convention, Freundeskreis, Bill Frisell, Marvin Gaye, Gentle Giant, Dizzy Gillespie, Groundhogs, Jimi Hendrix, The Hold Steady, Jolie Holland, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Louis Jordan, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, The Kinks, Lambchop, Sonny Landreth, Leadbelly, Julie London, The Louvin Brothers, Love, The Lovin' Spoonful, Kirsty MacColl, Taj Mahal, The Mavericks, MC5, Roger McGuinn, Malcolm McLaren, The Mills Brothers, Mineral, Mink De Ville, Thelonious Monk, Van Morrison, Oasis, Charlie Parker, Madeleine Peyroux, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Procol Harum, The Raconteurs, Rammstein, Ramones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmy Reed, Django Reinhardt, REM, Rites of Spring, The Rolling Stones, Roxy Music, Sailor, Secret Machines, The Selecter, Sex Pistols, Paul Simon, Nina Simone, The Smiths, Snoop Dogg, Social Distortion, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, The Specials, Phil Spector, Bruce Springsteen, Steeleye Span, Steely Dan, Supergrass, System of a Down, Talking Heads, Television, 3 Mustaphas 3, The Troggs, Ike & Tina Turner, Big Joe Turner, Tom Verlaine, The Verve, Tom Waits, Hank Williams, Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, The Who, The Yardbirds, Yellow Magic Orchestra,

Ruden Blades, Las Chicas del Can, Willie Colon, Cortijo, Celia Cruz, Oscar D'Leon, Fania All Stars, Joseito Fernandez, Fruko y sus Tesos, Juan Luis Guerra, Latin Brothers, Lecuona Cuban Boys, La Lupe, Machito, Beny Moré, Orchestra Harlow, Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Arsenio Rodriguez, Sonora Matancera, Los Tigres del Norte, Cuco Valoy, Johnny Ventura, Los Virtuosos,

King Sunny Adé, Bhundu Boys, Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim), Johnny Clegg, D'Gary, Franco, Régis Gizavo, Toto Guillaume, Huit Kilos, Sipho Mabuse, Japonais Maladi, Kanda Bongo Man, Flam Kapaya, Miriam Makeba, Sam Mangwana, The Manhattan Brothers, Hugh Masekela, Spokes Mashiane, JB Mpiana, Papa Noel, Ebenezer Obey, Victor Olaya, Koffi Olomidé, Orchestra Makassy, Orchestra Super Mazembe, Sonny Oti, Quatre Etoiles, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Soul Brothers, Tinariwen, Ali Farka Touré, Trio Madjesi, Papa Wemba, Wenge Musica, Werrason, Zaiko Langa Langa,

Laurel Aitken, Asian Dub Foundation, Big Youth, The Clarendonians, Desmond Dekker, Dillinger, Earl Sixteen, The Gladiators, The Heptones, I-Roy, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Luciano, Bob Marley & the Wailers, The Melodians, Junior Murvin, Michael Palmer, Lee Perry, Prince Buster, Rico Rodriguez, Max Romeo, Roots Manuva, The Skatalites, The Slickers, Toots & the Maytals, UK Apache, U-Roy, Yellowman, Tapper Zukie,

Agujetas (Padre y Hijo), Albion Country Band, Renzo Arbore, Goran Bregovic, Camaron de la Isla, The Chieftains, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Dellnhauser Musikanten, Luis Gonzaga, Kassav, Emir Kusturica, Roberto Murolo, I Muvrini, Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, Pepe Pinto, Riederinger Sänger, Roider Jackl, Lina Sastri, Shantel, Alain Stivell, Rachid Taha, Taraf de Heiduks, Värttinä,

Aaron Copland, Claude Debussy, Arthur Honegger, Heinrich Isaak, Darius Milhaud, Maurice Ravel, Ottorino Respighi, Erik Satie, Ludwig Senfl, Ralph Vaughan Williams,

and many, many more...

Sounds Like:

You tell me.

Record Label:

United Sounds